Sunday, November 9, 2008

Fitness Friday Assignment: The Eating Out Edition

Ladies, this week we will be discussing the problem of eating out. If you have a busy schedule like many people, you may find yourself at restaurants more than you would prefer. Or, maybe your family does not eat out much, but you find yourself hosting or attending get-togethers with friends and family. We're pretty much including all eating in public or with people other than just your spouse and kids. Plus, with all the holidays coming up, I think it's a relevant topic!

We had a birthday party for my (soon to be) 5 year old this weekend. There was pizza, there was cake, there were banana splits....thank goodness I have the rest of the week until Fitness Friday! Anyway, with a bit more planning for success, I could have done something differently and still had fun/enjoyed the special day/indulged some. I think there is a time and place for that.

So, how do you handle the eating out? What tips and strategies do you have for us? If you don't have any, just post your concerns and weak spots and let everyone help you out in the comments section. We will probably always have restaurant and get-togethers in our lives, even when we meet our goals, so let's plan for success now. OK?

Also, we are adding PRAYER to our Fitness Friday plan. Please remember to pray for the other ladies in our group this week and know that you are being lifted up in prayer as well.

After church, we sometimes go to my son's Bible college three blocks away and eat lunch there at the cafeteria. Our son eats on his meal ticket, but my husband and I must pay. The buffet has lots of wonderful food, and healthful food, but it costs $7.50 each. The problem? I feel I must "get my money's worth", so I load up my tray, and then, of course, I can't waste it, so I cram it in. I waddle away from the table, uncomfortable and ashamed of myself.This Sunday, we had to stay in town, and our son was out of town, so we went over to the local gas station/convenience store, and got one chicken burger and one cup of coffee, which is all I ever want anyway, paid $3.50 each and walked away satisfied and feeling better.I am normally not an overeater, unless I go to a place more expensive than usual and feel I must "get my money's worth."

Great topic, Brenda! My brain's cranking already! And amen to the need for prayer--so important, yet so easy to forget. Thanks for the reminder!

Civilla, I totally hear you. A friend of mine mentioned the following when approaching buffets and it's really helped me overcome the "must get my money's worth" hurdle. At a buffet, you're not just paying for the quantity of food, but the selection as well. Imagine what it would cost to order 10 separate dishes just so you could take a few bites of each! So now when at a buffet, I load up on the veggies, take a little of something I'd never take the time to make at home, and bypass the things that really don't thrill me. I mean really--why waste my caloric budget on ordinary things like mashed potatoes or mac & cheese? I leave satisfied and I didn't have to cook or clean up--so I got my money's worth!

And believe me, the medical bills I incurred as a morbidly obese 35 year old were a MUCH bigger waste of money than what I "waste" by eating only 1 plate's worth of food at a buffet. I also remind myself that overindulgence is still a sin no matter where I am--there's no "it's OK as long as you got your money's worth at the buffet" clause in the Bible! :-)

Ok, that's enough soapboxing from me--saving the rest for Friday, I promise!

Oooh, good one. Last year a dj on the radio suggested to eat only half of what you would like to eat. If you want to grab 4 Christmas cookies, grab 2. Or if you want to sample 6 dishes, choose only the top 3. It was a great idea to carry from the holiday season into the next year.